The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-02-16
From KANSAS.

The following Is an extract from a letter,
bearing date on the 9TH inst, received from
our friend Frank Wilmington, now located at
Kirwin, Kansas:
AS voice from northwestern Kansas,
come to greet you. While you'uns' bundle
up, freeze and shovel snow, 'we'uns' pull off
our coats and work all day with doors wide
open. This Is so. Until week ago, with
the exception of few days bad weather in
November, we have had wonderful winter.
At no time has there been snow enough for a
sleighride; the temperature has been remark
ably mild. Day after day in January. the
thermometer rose above fifty degrees often
as high as seventy degrees. During the past
week, however, the mercury has been visiting
at zero, but with bare ground no one notices
1t to any extent, unless riding some distances
in the wind.
have not worn an overcoat half dozen
times this winter. These half dozen times
were not instances of borrowing. either, for
have already established credit here and
still owe for an unused beaver now hang
ing in the den
Winter finds us dull here, as everywhere.
giving ample opportunity to the wits TO play
practical jokes on any whom their discretion
may select. 1t is hard to while the dull, stale
hours away except by such amusements. an
occasional dance or card party.
LAS for business, there il practically very
little, although grain and cattle dealers buy
quite freely. This is great country for
pork. More hogs are bought and shipped
here in week than Paw Paw sees in wear.
Prices range from 800 to S4.i5. Much
more shipping might be done but that this
section Is handicapped by one of the worst
of railroad mOnopolies, the Central Branch,
Missouri Pacific. line leased by the NJ. j.
from the L. Z. 1t is an old road and literally
worn out; track and coaches would be a
shame to any decent railroad. They are,
however, always on hand with their freight
charges, and make special efforts to fail to
connect with every competing cross line, and
never fail to make change in the time table
when necessary to do so. An example of
their freight charges is on bill of goods
from Chicago. lately received by my employ
er-weight 1880 pounds; Charges from Chi
cago to Kirwin $li.0S, of which S5.72 were
from Atchison to Kirwin. So we contribute
to the 'blarsted' monopoly.
There are more railroads built in Kansas.
on paper, than in any other state in the
Union. Yet we all want more. Towns spring
up along projected lines and land owners.
seeing millions in it, plat their farm into
town site and advertise il far and near.
Witness the town of Kanopolis. owned by
eastern capitalists, doomed with circulars
and pictures of proposed and chartered
roads, until it looks on tho maps more like
the hub of bicycle than anything else. IL
really bias one line OF road passing through.
and caring less for it than for almost any
other station on its route.
"Oh! but Kansas is mortgaged. Happy is
he who knows no such incumbrance. Every
)ne borrows money. Farm loans on security
valued at not less than three times the |
amount of the loan. bearing nine to twelve
per cent interest, rest on nineteen twentieths |
Of all the land here. Small loans, with neces- |
iary collateral, at least two to six times larger |
han the amount loaned, bear interest at the |
-ate of two per cent month, and as a rule |
)ne must pay small bonus to secure a loan |
wen ut these usurious rates. Banks and |
irug stores are here rated as the great money
Makers